New to this forum, and just about to get into buggying (once I've mastered the kite) - I have picked up a Flexifoil buggy with a standard rear axle
and wondered about the feasibility of converting this so it can become a wide rear axle by lengthening the existing axle. I realise this won't shift
the CoG, but I'm intending only to use it for cruising (I'm too old for freestyling), so I'm after stability.
What I was thinking of doing was to cut the existing axle midway between the seat frame tube and the end axle end, then inserting a longer stainless
steel tube inside the existing tube which would be long enough to go into the axle end as far as possible, and into the frame to the mid point of the
axle (where it would meet the same from the other side), and also sleeving the whole lot with a another stainless tube running from the edge of the
axle to the seat frame tube. I'm hoping that this double tubing (which would be bolted to the existing tube) would still be as strong as the original.
This would be heavier than the standard flexifoil wide axle, but those are becoming difficult to get hold of. Also this mod would mean that with a
couple of different length tubes, I could alter the axle width pretty easily.
Before I consider cutting my buggy, has anyone ever done this before, or are there good reasons why I shouldn't do this?abkayak - 18-10-2015 at 06:10 AM
Hummm
Why wouldn't u just buy a wide axle from inventory and fly more while its being mailed?
Then you could sell me your standard axle to get the expense down
Pblm solved.....welcome actdactd - 18-10-2015 at 06:21 AM
Ah, perhaps I should have put my location up - done now. I think the postage costs would offset any savings. Nice try though.
The wide axles are rare over here, and not cheap when they appear. SS tubing is much cheaper, plus 4 decent bolts (or possible pip-pins for quick
assembly) still seems an attractive idea. Just trying to decide if it's worthwhile or whether I'll just end up junking my buggy.abkayak - 18-10-2015 at 06:28 AM
Hummm again..
Always thought it would be easier there for any part as well
Not gonna tell u to cut your axle ever...I tend to collect them myself actd - 18-10-2015 at 06:39 AM
If you collect them, I suppose what I'm suggesting is probably sacrilege then :oabkayak - 18-10-2015 at 07:31 AM
If you wait around someone will tell u to go ahead do whatever your thinking..maybe
But yea...I collect themssayre - 18-10-2015 at 07:44 AM
I've thought about doing that same thing. Then thought if I go to that much trouble I might as well just make a new axle, then I come back to the
conclusion that it makes more sense to buy a new or used one given the time and expense to make one. In the end I've found it easier to do nothing
flyguy0101 - 18-10-2015 at 09:03 AM
just widening the axle will really screw up the geometry of the buggy- when you add the wide axle it shifts te entire axle back about the same
distance as it widens it. For a buggy to ride right you want to have the wheels balanced so that your body is almost equidistant to each wheel. I
know you are in England but I would look into the wide axle the kite trike (ebay under powered paragliders) shipping might not be too bad. good luck
Sindigo_wolf - 18-10-2015 at 09:31 AM
when you add the wide axle it shifts te entire axle back about the same distance as it widens it. For a buggy to ride right you want to have the
wheels balanced so that your body is almost equidistant to each wheel. S
^^ This... PLUS the wide axle has an additional cross brace to compensate for the additional torsional forces of a wider axle.
Flexifoil Standard Axle
Flexifoil Brace Axle
ATB,
Samssayre - 18-10-2015 at 04:41 PM
Do you have narrow or wide tires? A suggestion on xk was made to try wide tires on the back to add stability on a standard axle. I haven't tried it
yet but am planning on it.
axle
lasrocas - 19-10-2015 at 03:26 AM
@actd
search for this ( Wanted (Duh!) Wide Axle For Flexi Buggy ) on this forum
The guy seemed to do a pretty good job
craigactd - 21-10-2015 at 11:33 AM
Sorry for being slow coming back to this. Thanks all, this is exactly what I needed to know, ie it's probably not a good idea, until I saw your post
lasrocas (ironically enough, that post came up a couple of times when I googled flexoil wide axle, but I never followed the link as I thought someone
was after buying a wide axle), and he's done more or less what I was thinking of, with the exception that I'm thinking also of adding a second tube on
the outside to give added strength, and I was intending to bolt/pip-pin through rather than weld (but might have second thoughts about that) the outer
axle. One other advantage of the pip-pins would mean quick removal with no tools - since I have a fairly small car, that would be a big bonus for
getting it in the back.
Flyguy101 - thanks for the tip about the geometry, that's one of the things I was worrying about, so that's useful - I could extend the frame length
in the same way as extending the axle width, and I'm sure a cross brace would be no problem.
A lot of food for thought, and plenty of time since I'm still getting to grips with controlling a kite before I'm happy enough to get into the buggy -
thanks again for all your input TEDWESLEY - 24-10-2015 at 07:30 AM
The kite trike wide axle made a huge difference in my flexi. Turned it from a twitchy ride to a cruiser that is stable at much higher speeds. The axle
was $210 when I bought it a couple of years ago. Very well built as
they make them for powered paragliders. actd - 24-10-2015 at 11:38 AM
Thanks - perhaps sooner rather than later after all then, sounds like a good idea for a beginner
problem solved though - I've just come across SB Kites website (don't know why it didn't come up before when I searched) and they make replacement
wide axles for the flexifoil (with a choice of 12mm or 20mm threads), and axle strengthening units also if needed, and the axles are just under £90
(about $135).
Not only that, they make a conversion rear axle to turn the buggy into a bike - this is something I really like the idea of once I'm good enough with
the buggy.
